Beijing ready with fresh tactics if Manila launches new South China Sea case: expert

On sidelines of Munich Security Conference, Chinese maritime analyst Wu Shicun says Beijing has new tools since Hague ruling in 2016

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Wu Shicun, founder of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, says China will have a different strategy and tools if Manila launches another arbitration case regarding Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 12:47pm, 18 Feb 2025Updated: 3:55pm, 18 Feb 2025

Armed with “more diverse tools”, Beijing will not sit idle this time if Manila launches a second high-profile arbitration case against Beijing over the South China Sea, according to a leading Chinese maritime expert.

The Philippines is considering another legal challenge against Beijing over the disputed waterway.

One option is for the Philippines to sue China for the alleged extraction of giant clams and substantial ecological harm to coral reefs within Manila’s exclusive economic zone.

In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Wu Shicun, the founder of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said Beijing could take strong countermeasures to show its resolve and escalate costs for Manila in response to its initiation of legal proceedings.

“The very fact that the Philippines is pursuing a legal challenge suggests that it benefited from the first case and sees the attempt as a worthwhile endeavour,” Wu said on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on the weekend.

“To counter this, China must ensure that the costs for the Philippines outweigh the gains, making its actions a futile effort.”